1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrically heatable media line having a fluid line and at least one fluid connector, which is composed of a fluid connector connected to a line end of the fluid line and an outer housing. The fluid line and the fluid connector each include electrical heating means, wherein the fluid connector is enclosed at least in the region of the heating means and together with an end section of the fluid line in a capsule-like manner by the housing.
Furthermore, the invention also relates to a line connector, in particular for such a media line of the kind mentioned above, having at least one connecting section for the connection to a fluid line and to a transition section adjacent to the connecting section having an inner fluid channel, as well as to electrical heating means, and a housing enclosing the fluid connector in a capsule-like manner at least in the region of the heating means.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Such media lines and line connectors can especially be used in motor vehicles for media which, owing to their freezing point, already tend to freeze at relatively high ambient temperatures that frequently occur in winter. As a result of this, certain functions can be affected. This is the case with the lines for the windscreen wiper system, for example, but in particular with the lines for an aqueous urea solution, which is used as a NOx reduction additive for diesel engines with so-called SCR catalysts. The electrical heating means can therefore be activated in order to prevent freezing or in order to thaw the already frozen medium.
With regard to the prior art, reference is made, for example, to the publications DE 20 2007 009 588 U1, DE 20 2007 018 089 U1 and DE 20 2007 018 086 U1.
When assembling such media lines by connecting them with at least one line connector, the problem is often that, when closing the usually two-part housing of the line connector, the required electric conductors and conductor connectors of the heating means can get between the housing parts in a disturbing manner because—cf. DE 20 2007 009 588 U1—they are merely placed loosely in the cavity of the housing. It is therefore provided, e.g. according to DE 20 2007 018 089 U1, that the electrical connectors be enclosed by a plastic molding compound, in particular by extrusion coating or potting. This, however, results in additional manufacturing costs.
In view of the above limitations and drawbacks, the present invention provides an improved media line and a line connector of the kind described above in such a manner that good performance characteristics are achieved by means of a simple assembly and manufacture.